Used To Do It For A Living
by ltjvt1026
Summary: ACTION FIC. It's 1988. Gibbs is still in the Corps. There's gonna be blood. I'm going to do more. Thanks for the great response


**Disclaimer: It all belongs to DPB, CBS, Paramount and others. I'm not making a profit. Sometimes I**

**wish I could though.**

**Authors Note: **I was at work Friday night. Researching for a Mike Franks story, I was trolling for "Mikeisms" in the various episodes that are on line. I came across "Caught on Tape" from Season 2. So I started to watch it. The conversation in the woods between Gibbs and the murder suspect David Runion intrigued me. We know Gibbs was a sniper. But this little talk implies he also got "up close and personal" with some of his targets. So I decided to write about it. I've got to use the dialog to set up the story. **Spoilers for "Caught on Tape" Season 2 Episode 15. **There will be some technical notes at the end. Gibbs and Kate went to Runion's trailer to question him. Runion rabbits, taking off into the woods with Kate and Gibbs in pursuit. Runion gets away and lays down watching Kate run by….

**Runion: "**Idiots."

Gibbs cocks his handgun and puts it to the back of Runion's head.

**Gibbs: **"Put your hands behind your head."

**Runion: **"…How'd you?…."

**Gibbs: **"Sneak up on you like that?"

**Runion: **"Yeah."

**Gibbs: **"Used to do it for a living. Back then you'd be _dead_ instead of _under arrest_. Any other questions?"

**Runion: **"Ah, no."

**Gibbs: **"Didn't think so."

**Perimeter, Drug Lab, 30 klicks SW of Medellin, Columbia, February 12, 1988. 0600hrs.**

Staff Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs USMC was lying in wait. He'd been in position since about 0300 hrs. Approximately every 20 minutes a sentry would pass him. On his next pass the sentry would die.

Gibbs' unit was operating with the Columbian Army's Anti-Drug Regiment. Today, the regiment was going to hit a Medellin Cartel drug lab. Gibbs' "stick" of four men was tasked with eliminating the perimeter sentries prior to the raid.

The raid was part of a series, launched by the Columbian government after its Attorney General; Carlos Hoyos was gunned down on a Medellin street in January.

The Columbian Major in charge of the raid wanted the sentries dispatched with knives and left where they fell. It would "send a message", he said.

Gibbs only objection to this tactic was professional. Anytime you got up close and personal there was always the chance that the victim's weapon would discharge compromising the assault. But Gibbs' skipper had Ok'd it, so knives it would be.

Jethro carefully rolled his shoulders to loosen up. He'd been lying two feet off the trail since he'd arrived. The green and brown camo paint on his face was itching and about fifteen minutes ago, a damn big bug had bitten him on the calf.

The sentry Gibbs was waiting for was armed with an AK-47 and a machete. With luck he'd get to use neither.

Gibbs smelled and heard him coming.

"_Idiot."_

The guy was smoking a cigar and whistling. Jethro wasn't worried about being spotted. Between his boonie hat covered with local foliage and his Woodland pattern utilities, he was pretty much invisible. Add to that he had covered himself with whatever had been on the jungle floor and he looked like a large pile of junk.

The sentry ambled down the trail and came to a stop next to Gibbs' position.

"_Wait for him to move on by."_

As the sentry moved off, Gibbs gathered himself. His Ka-Bar was in a sheath hooked upside down to the left suspender of his 782 gear. He was ready.

The sentry had moved about two yards when Gibbs surged off the ground. In two long strides, Jethro was on his man.

His left hand went over the sentry's shoulder, grabbing his jaw and pushing his head back. His right, holding the Ka-Bar came up. Gibbs plunged the knife into the right side of the sentry's neck and ripped forward. The razor sharp knife severed both carotid arteries and the windpipe. The sentry died with a gurgle that wouldn't have been audible ten feet away.

Gibbs eased the body to the ground. The AK had fallen to the trail. Luckily it hadn't gone off. Gibbs' left sleeve and hand were covered in blood. He wiped his hand and knife blade on the dead man's shirt.

Jethro smiled grimly.

"_Message delivered."_

Gibbs reached into his left breast pocket and pulled out what looked like a playing card. On it was a drawing of a Halloween type ghost sporting a set of bloody fangs.

"_Little message of my own."_

Jethro dropped the card on the chest of the corpse and moved back to his hide position. He picked up his CAR-15 and faded off into the jungle towards the rally point.

Mission accomplished.

**Technical Notes: **I used some terms that bear explaining:

**Medellin Cartel-** In the '80's and early '90's the premiere cocaine producing and smuggling gang in the world.

**AK-47- **Russian made assault rifle, in 7.62 caliber.

**Boonie Hat-** Soft floppy hat used by all the armed forces in jungle environments.

**Ka-Bar-** Marine fighting knife with a 7 3/4 inch blade. It's been in service since WWII.

**782 Gear-** Marine slang for the suspenders and pistol belt they wear. Comes from Form 782 that they have to sign when they are issued the gear.

**CAR-15- **Short version of the M-16 rifle with a collapsible butt stock. Forerunner of the M-4, currently in use.

**A/N: **According to canon Gibbs served in Panama and Columbia as well as Desert Storm. This was a one shot deal. Unless you guys want more of Gibbs in the Corps. Hit that green button and let me know what you think.


End file.
